Technology Lessons Taken From the World’s Most Ridiculous Barbecue Grill

Everyone knows that it’s beneficial to upgrade your company’s technology and use the latest and greatest solutions. As much we all enjoy using new technology and shiny gadgets, is there a point when upgrading goes too far?

In situations like this, the phrase “too much of a good thing” applies. There comes a point in the upgrading process when new additions become frivolous. Technology being purchased solely for the sake of having new technology is counterproductive, seeing as the entire point of upgrading is to adopt new solutions that will save you money.

To prove this point, there are several examples of extravagant technologies that we could cite. However, since grilling season is upon us, let’s venture outside of the office and examine one of mankind’s favorite technologies, the barbeque grill!

The barbeque grill is a technology designed for one basic purpose: cooking food (generally meat). In order to perform this task, grills utilize a fuel source to produce an open flame, such as charcoal or propane. Additionally, every grill requires a metal grate of sorts for the food to rest on as it’s being cooked.

These are the most basic components required in order for a grill to be a grill. Yet, over time, backyard chefs around the world have innovated and upgraded the barbeque grill, turning it into an overly complicated piece of technology.

The technological evolution of the grill can be clearly seen at your local department store. On one side of the grill section is the cheapest, most basic grill (some assembly required), and on the opposite end of the aisle are the hulking, stainless steel masterpieces, complete with built-in thermostats and LED light-up gauges. Despite the dramatic differences, each unit performs the same task.

For fun, let’s take this barbecue grill illustration to a ridiculous, 345-horsepower extreme.

The OldSmokeyBoys have provided us the impressive specs behind this grilling behemoth, “With the power and torque of the 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI engine, this grill can cook 240 HEMI dogs in three minutes and is covered by more than 330 square feet of steel.” As a general rule, your barbeque grill shouldn’t cost more than your car and require regular oil changes.

Maxing out the credit card to purchase a fancy barbecue grill is often less about functionality and more about showing off. While impressing others at your backyard party may be a good enough reason to splurge on a grill, it makes less sense to spend money on unneeded technology upgrades for your business; especially when that money could be better spent to further profit-generating initiatives.

For example, a basic workstation only needs 4-8GB of RAM; anything more is overkill. Also, having an office full of the latest iPhones may make you feel like a hip and trendy business owner, but there are alternative brands that can perform the same job for far less money.

That said, if outfitting your office with gadgets to boost your image is a priority for you, then we can certainly provide you with recommendations. However, for the average SMB owner, technology is seen as a means to an end. Therefore, Horne & Benik can assist you in selecting solutions designed to provide maximum efficiency for as little money as possible. For most business owners, boosting ROI like this is the entire point of purchasing technology. Whatever the technology goals of your business, we can help.

Like barbecuing, using the right technology is an art form; one that’s all about using the right ingredients. Call Horne & Benik at (603) 499-4400 for recommendations on cooking up the perfect solutions for your business.